1 Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a perfect fitting detection mechanism for connectors which is capable of detecting whether or not a female and a male connector are perfectly fitted with each other just by sliding a fitting detection member which is mounted on a resilient locking arm provided to a connector housing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of a prior art mechanism for detecting a perfect fitting of connectors is shown in FIGS. 9 to 12 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Heisei 3-285280), wherein a detection of perfect fitting between a male and a female terminals, respectively denoted by 35 and 36, is conducted by slidably mounting a fitting detection member 33 to a male connector housing 32 having a resilient locking arm 31, and checking whether the fitting detection member 33 can be further pushed after the male connector housing 32 is inserted into the mating female connector housing 34.
The fitting detection member 33 comprises a locking groove 38 for receiving a guide rail 37 formed on the male connector housing 32, and a resilient detecting arm 41 having a locking projection 40 to be abutted against an end lock portion 39 of the resilient locking arm 31. In accordance with an inserting movement of the male connector 35 into the female connector 36, the resilient detecting arm 41 is deflected upward together with the locking arm 31 with the locking projection 40 thereof being locked to the end lock portion 39 of the locking arm 31, and on completing the fitting operation of the connectors, the detecting arm 41 is then mounted onto a mating locking projection 42 of the female connector housing 34, which projection being provided to be fitted with the end lock portion 39, as shown in FIG. 11. In other words, simultaneously with a completion of the coupling operation of the connectors, the locking arm 31 is restored from its deflection and the end lock portion 39 thereof is engaged with the locking projection 42, wherein the detecting arm 41 is still remained in the deflected state. From this situation, when pushing further the fitting detection member 33 forward, the locking projection 40 surmounts both the opposing locking projection 42 and the end lock portion 39 to restore from the deflection thereof. The fitting detection member 33 is retained on the male connector housing 32 with its locking projection 40 engaged with the end lock portion 39.
However, with the above construction, when the fitting detection member 33 is mounted onto the male connector housing 32, the rear end portion 33a thereof is rearwardly protruded, so that it easily comes off due to a friction with other external members during the transportation thereof or the like, and further on inserting a terminal 43 into the male connector housing 32 from the rear end thereof by an automatic assembler, the terminal 43 cannot be sufficiently inserted because of the rearwardly protruded fitting detection member 33. Still further, since the detecting arm 41 of the fitting detection member 33 is deflected together with the locking arm 31, the deflecting force of the locking arm 31 is increased, to thereby require a larger force for fitting the connectors, and consequently an operating force for releasing the locking arm 31 also becomes enlarged.